One Side Of Fire
by Lollipop456
Summary: Johnny Storm a.k.a Human Torch contracts a mysterious illness. Can this disease take away his powers? Can it kill him? Only one person can save him...Reed Richards.
1. Chapter 1

Johnny Storm got up and brushed his teeth, he slipped into a very hot shower...Being The Human Torch did have its strong points. After finishing up his shower, Johnny changed into his team uniform.

'Johnny! Get down here now!' Sue Storm called from downstairs

Johnny loved his sister, but in all honesty ever since she became pregnant. Johnny had thought she had become hell on earth to live with. Had it not been for her husband Reed Richards, Johnny would probably be the only one to deal with the backlashes of a hormonal pregnant woman.

'I'm coming! Give me six minutes!' Johnny shouted back.

Johnny fixed his hair and did a quick mirror check. He was feeling sort of slow this morning, as if he had no energy. But that was too be expected cause he was a superhero who was actually human. Johnny headed down the steps, but halfway down; he felt dizzy. He felt the world was spinning around, he tried to continue going downstairs. His head started throbbing, as if something was attacking his brain. He gripped the rail, and then, after only a few moments of standing collapsed at the bottom of the stairs.

Sue heard the fall and went to see if Johnny was okay. He was very much alive, but in alot of pain. Every inch of his body was aching, like if he moved a finger. His whole body would start spazzing.

'Reed! Reed!' Sue called for working husband.

Reed Richards came powering back from the home lab and saw Sue kneeling down to her younger brother. He joined her at Johnny's side, and put a gentle hand on his back. Johnny yelled in pain.

'Sorry! Sorry!' Reed apolgized frantically to his brother-in-law.

'Reed, what's wrong with me? Everything aches' Johnny moaned

'I know..I know.' Reed whispered.

Sue laid her hand on Johnny's shoulder and the other on his brow. She looked up at Reed, her eyes basically said 'help him.'

'Johnny do you think you can walk?' Reed asked the weak man.

'I don't think so. You might have to drag me-' Johnny joked

Reed gave a faint smile, he had to keep up his humor. Because that would keep Johnny alert. He lifted Johnny as much as he could without hurting him, and took him back upstairs and placed him in his bed. Sue was following close behind, cell phone in hand.

'Don't call the hospital.' Reed warned.

'He's sick! We can't help him, Reed. But doctors can' Sue explained.

'Help him? They'll paralyze him...The press won't leave him alone, and do god knows what to him' Reed cried

'And what will you do to him, Reed? Poke him with test tubes 24/7?' Sue asked hastitly

'You know I won't do that to him, Sue. Ben maybe, but not me' Reed said with a joking smile.

'You can be a bigger ass than Johnny when you are like this' Sue mumbled.

Sue went to Johnny's bedside, Reed nervously ran his fingers through his hair and headed downstairs. He wanted to help Johnny in anyway possible, and if that meant poking and prodding at him with science...then he had to.


	2. Fever Rush

Reed made it is his life to figure out what Johnny had, but even after over 20 tests; he had still had no lead on how Johnny was sick and what made him that way. Sue and Reed were sleeping, when Reed awoken to the sound of a horrid cough. He turned over and saw Sue was still sound asleep, he leapt out of bed and snuck down the hall to Johnny's room. Johnny was moaning softly and sweating off his fever, he was coughing pretty violently. Reed kneeled next to his bed and put his hand on Johnny's forehead, Johnny finally started to come to.

'Hey...Did I wake you?' Reed asked in a low whisper.

'No, I was just resting my eyes. Is it just me or am I alot hotter than I am usually?' Johnny asked jokingly.

Reed felt Johnny's face, just the mere feeling made his hand feel like it was on fire. Of course Johnny had fire powers so it easy for him to be warm or even blazing...but this was different. It was as if Johnny's body temperature had raised, Reed acted quickly and dashed downstairs. He grabbed the whole ice tray, and then ran back upstairs. He quickly stripped Johnny of his clothes and pressed an ice cube to his brow, it melted almost insantly.

'What the hell are you doing?' Johnny asked.

'Your fever is too high, if it goes any higher you might kill yourself. I have to bring it down' Reed explained.

'You think ice cubes will do the trick?' Johnny asked in a smart-acle attitude.

'No...' Reed began

A beat

'But I think something will' He finally finished with a smile on his face

Reed carried Johnny to the bathroom and turned a extremely cold shower, he helped Johnny stand on his own two feet. Johnny was shivering uncontrollaby, Reed knew this was killing him enough already. But whatever it took to help Johnny out of this mess.

'Reed, it's too cold' Johnny stuttered

'I know it's cold. But we have to get that fever down, this is the ONLY thing that will help' Reed said in a stern voice.

Reed could see through the glass plate door that this was doing the trick, Johnny wasn't sweating as much after 20 minutes in it. Reed looked at his watch, Johnny had been in the shower for two hours now.

'Hang on, Johnny. 1 more minute' Reed said in a comforting voice

'Reed, it's too much' Johnny said whilst shivering

Reed heard something fall, he flung open the shower door. Johnny was laying on the shower floor, he had passed out. Reed got Johnny dressed and put him back in bed, he took Johnny's hand in his own.

'I'm doing this for you...Johnny, you have always been the strongest person I know. Even stronger than Ben, because you did something that any one of us could do. You believed in our powers, and I didn't. You weren't afraid to fight or do stupid stuff all because you were brave. Johnny...I need you to hang on for you. Come on, you have to admit you wanna see yourself performing motor stunts 60 years from now' Reed pleaded with his unconcious brother

Reed felt a hand grab his shoulder, Sue suddenly became visible.

'He'll be fine, Reed' Sue said with a gentle smile


	3. One Little Clue

Reed accidentally fell asleep by Johnny's bed, he wanted to do some more testing before that next afternoon. When he woke up it was at least 2 in the afternoon, to his surprise Johnny was still napping. Reed's face was a little disorted for awhile, but he didn't seem to mind it. He walked downstairs, Sue was making Reed a late lunch; she was in her lab coat.

'Well, it seems like the good Doctor Richards has finally come to join his equally lovely wife' Sue joked.

'I think I'll laugh on the inside, Sue. I'm exhausted...have you been in the lab?' Reed asked suddenly.

'Just cleaning up a few messes, you were out like a light so I letted you tent in Johnny's room' Sue explained

'Sue I told you that you can't be in the lab. Those are high toxic chemicals that could be both hazardrous to you and to the baby!' Reed shouted.

Sue began to take her seat next to Reed, he gave her hand in that area. She took his hand and placed it on her swollen stomach, her hand touched his.

'As long as the baby is fine, I'm fine. Reed, you got to stop stressing yourself. What is going to happen if Johnny gets worse? What are you going to do? Lock yourself away and never come out, or are you just going to forget taking care of yourself completely?' Sue asked.

'Neither' Reed said in a simply stern voice.

They suddenly heard a HUGE thud from upstairs, they both got to their feet and saw Johnny on his knees shivering. Reed wrapped his arms around in a secured fashion, Sue exmained Johnny and saw something intresting...a small blade of metal launched in his back bone.


	4. Villanous

'Reed take a look at this...'Sue gestured Reed over to towards the backend of her brother

Reed went over to where Sue was, he looked closely and saw the small flake of metal.

'It's metal' Reed declared

'How long has it been there?' Sue asked

'I'm not sure. It looks like a piece of a metallic bullet.' Reed continued

'Reed, when did you and Johnny confront Doom?' Sue asked

'About a week, maybe five days' Reed said nervously

'Reed, this bullet is metal...Doom can control metallic beings. Such as bullets. Maybe there is a poisoned virus inside the bullet' Sue explained

'Now that's a bit crazy. If the bullet had been launched into his immune system a week ago, why would the poison kick in now?' Reed asked

'I don't know. But you are the doctor, Reed...You said you wanted to fix Johnny. Then try fixing Doom' Sue said

'Why don't you go lay down? I'll take care of Johnny' Reed suggested

Sue shook her head sadly and then crossed the hall, slamming the bedroom door. It woke up Johnny who had unintenioally fainted after his attack

'I got you, don't worry' Reed whispered in an assuring voice

Johnny offered up a faint smile and fainted again, Reed carried him to bed and covered him with the blanket. He couldn't help but wander if Doom was really the one behind it. Was it villany or conidence?


	5. Removal

Reed decided to move his studies into Johnny's room so he could keep a closer eye on him, with each other Johnny grew worse and worse. Nobody would be able to recongnize him, his eyes had grown sore and red-like from lack of sleep, his complexion was pasty and his cheekbones were damped with sweat; infact his whole body was sweating from the fever induction. Reed knew there was no choice, the bullet had to be removed; Johnny's life counted on it. Reed's good friend and fellow Fantastic 4 member Ben Grimm entered the room, Reed took a firm grip on his glass of water to stop it from tipping as Ben pounded his way across the room.

"Hey, how's he doing?" Ben asked

"Worse...His vital signs are hardly well you can call 'normal', and he's too out of it to hardly even know what is going on around him." Reed explained

"Any idea what the hell happened to him?" Ben asked

"Sue has a...theory. But it's too out there-" Reed said with a hopeless sigh

"How 'out there' are we talking about?" Ben asked

Reed sighed again and gestured for Ben to follow him over to Johnny, he touched his shoulder.

"Johnny, I'm turning you over for a few seconds." Reed whispered

Johnny nodded slowly as Reed and Ben flipped his whole body over onto his stomach, Reed pinpointed the spot where the metallic bullet had been seen.

"What is it?" Ben asked

"Sue believes it to be a bullet, but it seems a bit crazy." Reed stated

"I dunno, Reed. It looks like a bullet, maybe Susie is right." Ben said in an unsure tone

"But if this is a bullet then...It's my fault." Reed said softly

"Hey, don't think that. It's Doom, not you." Ben assured

"He fell down after he pushed me away from Victor, when I stood up I asked him if he was okay. He said he had a little back pain and nothing else...Back pain. Why didn't I take him to a doctor then? I should've known something was up. Ben, Johnny is dying...and it's my fault." Reed castigated himself

"He needs your help, Reed. Not your pity." Ben remarked

"I know. The thing is, if we get the bullet out then it will take only a week of recovery and Johnny will be okay." Reed explained with a slowly-developing confidence

"Great, let me wire the hospital and.."

"I'm not taking him to a hospital. WE have to get the bullet out by ourselves." Reed declared

"Okay, that's a bit...crazy." Ben said nervously

"All I need is a pair of pliers and gloves." Reed stated

"Yeah, and anthesia and assistance." Ben added in a raised tone

"I'm going to save his life, dammit!" Reed cried

"Easy Reed, easy. I'm just saying it's a bit risky." Ben said in a calm tone

"Sometimes like is about taking risks." Reed said softly

"I'll get the belts from your closet." Ben sighed as he rose from his knees and left the room

"Reed, will I be okay?" Johnny asked quietly

"Yeah Johnny, you will." Reed assured


	6. True Is False

Johnny was kept on his back the first few moments before his procedure; Reed stayed with him. Reed could feel his whole body go cold as he clutched onto Johnny's pale & lifeless hand, but he could care less about his own body; considering just how flexible he was.

"Why am I so cold, Reed?" Johnny asked

"It's your overall tempature, John. It's...mixed and your immune system isn't reacting well to the sudden change." Reed explained

"My back, it's starting to hurt worse than it did last week." Johnny winced

"We're going to fix that. We're going to get the bullet out and get you back on your feet." Reed declared

"So, I'm...going to a hospital?" Johnny asked wearingly

"No, you're too weak to be moved to a hospital right now." Reed stated in a seemingly anxious tone-of-voice

"Then, how is the bullet going to get out?" Johnny asked confusingly

"Well, I have the certification to perform SOME medical prodecures so I thought 'what the hell, milk the application for all it is worth.' " Reed said with a gentle smile

"Let me get this straight, YOU are going to stick pliars into MY body?" Johnny asked, just to be sure of himself

"With no anesthetics." Reed said softly

"Perfect..." Johnny moaned sarcastically

"Hey, if you can trust me to save a planet from time to time then you can certainly trust me to remove a piece of a metallic bullet from your body before it delves itself into your immune system." Reed assured jokingly

"It's going to hurt isn't it." Johnny said in a weak voice

"Like you wouldn't believe." Reed said with a slight chuckle

"I'm accustomed to pain." Johnny said with a weary grin

Before Reed could respond, Ben and Sue entered the room. Sue was carrying a wet cloth and Ben was carrying two belts and a set of pliars, Reed turned Johnny onto his stomach and reached out a trembling hand to Ben.

"Hand me the belts." Reed quivered

Ben reluctantly dropped the belts into Reed's palm, the young man carefully extended both of Johnny's arm and secured each belt around his wrists. Slamming the jores closed on the end of each belt, making Johnny looking very much like a turned-over crucifix figure. Reed placed the wet cloth in Johnny's mouth, as he The Human Torch began to bite down on it.

"Sue, I hope you're right." Reed said to himself

Reed quickly found a small knife laying on the table, he made a small incision in Johnny's skin and then lifted the pliars.

"Are you ready?" Reed asked

Johnny noddded as he bit his teeth harder into the cloth, Reed let out a huge breath and began to stick the pliars into Johnny's bare flesh and began to dig deeper and deeper. Removing tiny pieces of metal, but there was still no sign of actual lead poison.

"Do you see anything?" Sue asked as she tried to relax a groaning Johnny

"Not yet, just flakes of metal." Reed said hopelessly

"It's going to have to go in deeper." Ben said

"That's what concerns me." Reed said nervously

Reed dug deeper and deeper into Johnny until he reaced a backbone, but there was no sign of a bullet. Only more metal, and traces of poison. Reed shook his head and sighed another hopeless sigh

"Let's stitch him up, there is no bullet...Just poison and metal." Reed declared

Reed slammed the pliars down and then stormed out of the room, Sue gestured her head towards the door. Ben rolled his eyes and went to find Reed, he found him on the other side of The Baxter Building; just staring plainly at the sky.

"Hey, you did all you could." Ben said as he touched Reed's shoulder

"No Ben, I didn't. I told Johnny he was going to be all right, that I would find the bullet and he would be A-okay! The only thing I did, was give him more pain and dissapointment than he can take on!" Reed cried

"Hey, I'm sure Johnny doesn't hate you for this. I mean he never thought you were Superman before, why would he think it now?" Ben joked

"I've gotta get back to him..." Reed said softly as he turned away and walked back inside

Sue met Reed as he stepped out of the elevator, concern was written all over her face.

"What's happened?" Reed asked frantically

"I don't know, he just started to cough up tons of blood and now he's having a nose bleed." Sue explained as they bolted towards the room

Reed quickly grab another cloth off the table and held it to Johnny's nose and tilted his head back, Sue watched on helplessly.

"Reed, I'm sorry. I THOUGHT that's what it was." Sue said gently

"It's okay, sweetheart. Cause I thought it to." Reed said dissapointgly as he finally settled Johnny down

"But if it wasn't a bullet, but it WAS poison...Reed, what did Victor do to my brother?" Sue asked


	7. Injection Report

Reed was setting up some very important lab equipment when Johnny let out a slight moan, Reed ran to his side when he finally took into realization that Johnny was having another pain attack. Reed looked at his watch and then outstretched his arm to grab his chart and pen. He jotted down what his watch said and then lifted another piece of paper and shook his head in dissapointment.

"What's with the watch?" Johnny asked through clenched teeth

"I put down the time of your last attack in your file, now I'm recording this attack." Reed briefly explained

"Am I poisoned or in labor?" Johnny asked with a painful chuckle

"With most common poisons such as plants and cleaning products, death usually occurs only 24 hours later without side effects such as yours. That is why it is important to record these things for further observation to discover the cure to your poison." Reed explained

"Always playing the hero, Reed." Johnny said sarcastically

"Well I try." Reed smiled

"Are we even remotely close to getting me back on my feet?" Johnny asked after his attack subsided

"Just hang tight, John." Reed assured

"I have been 'hanging tight' for the past four weeks, Reed. You wanna know how I feel right now? I feel like if I move an inch, I'll scream until people in Tokyo can hear me! I feel like if I try to eat something, I'll get puke all over your damn rug! I feel like if I move my blanket, then I'll freeze to death! That's how I feel, Reed! I know that I'm dying! Why can't you try to change how I feel instead of being arrogant and trying to fix your guilt around?" Johnny outbursted

"Sometimes you and Sue can be so much alike." Reed chuckled

"What do you mean?" Johnny asked

"Cause you can defintely be an ass." Reed noted

"I'm sorry." Johnny mumbled

Reed suddenly saw something, it was about the size of a penpoint but it was suddenly visible on Johnny's neck.

"An injection point..." Reed said to himself

Reed suddenly broke into hysterical laughter, which frightened Johnny.

"An injection point!" Reed announced to Johnny

Reed gave Johnny a quick hug

"John, you are well on your way to a recovery." Reed assured

Reed dashed from the room and down the stairs where Sue was watching TV with Ben

"Guys, I just found an injection point on Johnny's neck. This must mean that the poison was adminstered through some form of vaccination, perhaps a high dosage-" Reed cut himself off when he saw Ben and Sue looked worried

"What's wrong?" Reed asked

Sue flipped on the T.V, Reed saw an African-American female reporter on the big screen with a picture of Johnny in his Fanastic Four uniform on the top right hand of the screen. The reporter stated:

_This is Susan Carthwright reporting to you live from our studio. We have just recieved word from an anonymous source that the youngest member of the Fantastic Four team, Johnny Albright Storm, has taken ill with a mysterious disease. As of now, scientific researchers and paramedics are heading to the Baxter Building to remove the young man from the premises and place him inside a contamantion tent for further research. Police will be called and to help aid paramedics remove Mr.Storm by force. In other news-_

Reed turned off the TV and kicked the table in frustration, he sat down in a chair and bury his head in his hands.

"What do we do now?" Sue asked

"I think the question is ...Who figured out about Johnny?" Ben asked

"I can answer both questions in one word...Doom." Reed said solemnly


	8. The Greeting Of Balstaar

Reed stood to his feet and headed for the kitchen, he turned the sink on hot and placed a pot under the faucet. Sue sighed and followed him around.

"Reed...Were you actually saying that we have to fight off the police as well as the researchers and paramedics?" Sue asked.

"Is that a problem?" Reed asked.

"Honey, they are authority figures...If we fight them, we will be considered fugitives." Sue stated.

"I'd rather be considered a fugitive than see Johnny buried six feet under ground!" Reed snapped.

"He's my brother, you are acting as though I don't want to save him!" Sue argued.

"Do you, Sue? Or do you just want to sit and watch him waste away slowly?"

Sue sighed and went back into the living room, Reed chased after her.

"Sue, I didn't mean it like that. I was just angry." Reed said quietly.

"Guys? I don't mean to be a burden but...We've got company." Ben stated.

Sue and Reed went to the window and saw hundred of police officers, paramedics, and researchers. Reed nodded to Sue and Ben, and then headed back upstairs.

"Where the hell are you going?" Ben asked.

"I've got to stay with Johnny." Reed stated.

Sue rolled her eyes at her husband.

"Well, we've got to get rid of them somehow. Let's just go downstairs and take care of them-"

By the time, Sue and Ben got downstairs, it seemed like everyone had vanished.

"Victor?" Sue asked.

"Sue and Ben... how wonderful of you to join me. How is your brother nowadays, Sue?" Doom chuckled.

"Where are the paramedics and the police?" Sue asked.

"Time stood still, shall we say." Doom smirked.

"It doesn't matter anymore, I just want to know what the HELL you did to my brother." Sue cried.

"Now, if I told you that...What would be the fun of guessing?" Doom remarked.

"If you kill that kid, so help me-"

Ben began to advance when he felt Sue shove him back gently, Doom wiggled his finger in front of Ben's face.

"I wouldn't act so quickly, Ben. You see...I brought in my own force." Doom remarked.

Suddenly, a car came crashing towards Ben and Sue who had managed to move in the nick of time. Out of nowhere, a huge creature leapt from the other side of the car causing a slight shake in the Earth's foundation as he landed.

"What is this?" Sue asked.

"Oh, this is my good friend, Blaastar. He'll take care of you guys while I take care of your little friend." Doom explained.

Sue finally looked around and saw it...every cop, researcher and paramedic had already been kiled. There bodies were spread all over the ground, Sue and Ben knew they were going to have a tough fight on their hands. Ben ran at Blaastar at full speed, until he got completely slammed and was sent flying halfway across the street. The three battled it out for the longest time, until both Ben and Sue found themselves growing weak and weary.

"What the hell is he?" Ben asked as he panted.

"My new best friend." Doom chuckled.

The two looked up to Doom who had snuck away during the battle, he was carrying two people over his shoulders. Reed and Johnny.

"Balastaar, leave them" Doom ordered "I've got my prizes."


	9. Mystery Revealed

Reed finally came to, he put his hand to his forehead and realized he was bleeding at least at one point in the pass few hours. He saw Johnny was laying next to him, unconcious but breathing. He crawled over to him and tried to get him to wake up, he finally managed to open his eyes.

"Hey." Johnny whispered.

"Hi." Reed smiled.

Reed placed his hand on Johnny's forehead, when he realized that Johnny's fever was getting worse.

"Victor!" Reed shouted.

Doom appeared at the top of the stairs, chuckling as he made his way down.

"Victor, why the hell did you do this? Can't you see he is sick?" Reed asked.

"Of course I can see that, Reed. I'm the one who made him sick!" Doom stated.

"Well that's the missing piece of the puzzle!" Reed said sarcastically.

"Oh, terribly sorry. Was this what you wanted?" Doom held up a vaccination needle.

"What the hell is that?" Reed carefully moved Johnny's head to his lap.

"I can remember that day so clearly now. It was only you and Mr.Go-getter that day, Johnny there decided to attack and I believe I turned him onto his stomach. You remember when he yelled? He yelled because this very needle that I hold today went right into his neck. It contained 4 ounces of poison, however if I wanted to kill him I would've put more in there. I spared him that day...just to make you and Sue sweat. However, now that he is here..."

Reed looked back at Johnny and quickly observed his neck and saw another injection point. He noticed that Johnny's breathing was getting more and more rapid.

"What was the amount of this dosage?" Reed asked frantically.

"10 ounces." Doom said simply.

"That dosage could lead straight to death." Reed said quietly.

"I hope it does! Haven't you figured it all out Reed? I brought Johnny here to die and for you to be the front row center guest. It seems like even the good Dr.Richards has his weak spot and this is it. The loss of a loved one." Doom chuckled.

"Why just bring me? Why not bring along Ben or Sue?" Reed asked.

"Because...Believe it or not, Reed. YOU are the strongest person out of the so-called Fantastic Four." Doom stated.

"I don't follow."

"You're smart. Brain before brawn. You think about the fight, you choregraph the fights, you have so much damn techonology that any electrian would envy you. Since you are so smart you know every single move that I make, that's why nobody can fight you, Reed! Let me put this way: You are the leader and the brain, Sue is the beauty, Ben is the brawn, and Johnny is...Johnny is the little boy who tag alongs." Doom explained.

"So you wanted to kill Johnny, make me watch him die, then kill me." Reed finally put it all together.

"Brilliant job, Reed." Doom said sarcastically.

Reed turned his attention back to Johnny, his brother-in-law had gone terriby pale and cold in the past couple of minutes. It was a wonder how he was still hanging on to dear life, Reed tried to keep him close to his chest to keep him warm.

"How touching." Doom rolled his eyes.

"Victor, I'll do anything...Just give me the antidote NOW and help me get Johnny out of this place." Reed pleaded.

"There isn't an antidote, Reed. If he is going to get better, he needs a hospital and I refuse to help you move him to one." Doom stated.

"Reed..." Johnny whispered.

"Just hang tight, Johnny. I'm here." Reed assured.

Johnny suddenly lost concious again, Reed quickly checked for a pulse and realized he had none.

"No...Johnny not now. Johnny?" Reed called out.


	10. The End?

"Victor, this isn't a game anymore! Give me the damn antidote!" Reed ordered.

"Give me one good reason." Victor ordered.

"Sue...Johnny is Sue's brother, and do you want to see her heart break?" Reed asked.

"An eye for an eye, Reed." Victor scowled.

"She never meant to hurt you, Victor. That was never her intention." Reed said quietly.

"It's too late now." Victor sighed.

"He's got his pulse back now but it won't last for long. Victor please help me just once." Reed pleaded.

"Once." Victor repeated.

Victor knelt next to Johnny and shot him with the antidote, his heart suddenly began to take speed. Much to Reed's surprise.

"It doesn't take full effect for five hours. He's not stabilized. He needs the hospital." Victor stated.

Victor and Reed took Johnny to a hospital, Victor left Reed to go inside with Johnny so he couldn't be seen. Johnny came to just as doctors were hooking him up to machines, he saw Reed was with him.

"You'll be okay, Johnny. You're going to be safe now." Reed assured.

Johnny blacked out again...

When Johnny came to he had no idea how long he had been out, probably for awhile. He did feel alot better, almost he hadn't been sick at all. His body, however, felt numbed and weak. Reed came into the room carrying some coffee.

"You're awake." Reed smiled.

"How long was I out?" Johnny asked.

"Three to four days. You have got a closet full of balloons and flowers, and get well cards all from your adoring fans." Reed explained.

"What happened to not taking me to a hospital?" Johnny asked.

"Desperation." Reed said simply.

"Where's the Big Guy and Sue?" Johnny asked.

"Um, Ben had to run a little favor. Sue, however, is down the hall in bed." Reed stated.

"She's in the hospital? Why?" Johnny asked.

"Let me show you." Reed said, he sat his coffee down on a tray and went into the halls.

Reed came from the hallway, carrying two small bundles in each arm.

"Johnny Albright Storm. Meet your niece and nephew. Franklin Jonathan Richards and Valeria Elizabeth Richards." Reed announced.

"Can I hold one?" Johnny asked.

"Sure, just be careful." Reed nodded.

Reed carefully handed Valeria to Johnny, he laid back on his pillow and sighed.

"They're so small." Johnny whispered.

"They're babies, Johnny." Reed chuckled.

"How's Sue?" Johnny asked.

"A little sore but she's good." Reed assured.

"How am I?" Johnny asked.

"You're gonna live, John. You're gonna live." Reed whispered.

Johnny looked down at Valeria and kissed her forehead.

"Welcome to the world, you two. You're in for a helluva ride." Johnny told his newborn relatives.

Five weeks later, Johnny was at the Baxter Building and playing with Valeria and Franklin. Sue watched them with a smile before letting out a sigh.

"Johnny, I'm gonna take a shower. Think you can man the fort?" Sue asked.

"Yes, sir." Johnny saluted.

Sue rolled her eyes and went upstairs to take a shower. Johnny played with the kids for awhile before he felt a sudden ache in his arm, much worse than the attacks he had before. He fell to the ground and found himself unable to breathe.

"Reed...Reed..." Johnny gasped for a breath.

At Doom's lair, Doom witnessed the whole attack on his cameras.

"Oops."

Doom dumped the whole bottle of antidote out onto the floor.


	11. Vengenance

Reed was pretty much inconsolable, all he could do was laid against the back of the leather seat inside the limo as he held Valeria close to his chest. Sue and Ben looked at each other, Sue touched Reed's arm.

"Reed? Honey, you gotta talk to me." Sue whispered.

"I should've known it was a trick." Reed said quietly.

"Nobody could've known that Victor would do something like this." Sue shook her head.

"Yes somebody could...I KNEW he could." Reed remarked.

"Johnny is gone, Reed. We can't fix that. Besides, you've gotta focus on being a dad." Ben stated.

"Not yet, Ben. I've gotta focus on finding Victor and finishing him off." Reed said solemnly.

"Reed, look at what's happened. Who is to say that he won't do the same to you?" Sue asked.

"That's a risk I'm ready to take." Reed whispered "That I will take."

THE END...?


End file.
